Fruit-catcher.



c. A. LITTLETON.

FRUIT UATCHER. 7 APPLICATION FILED JAILB, 1913. 1, 1 1 1,597. Pa ented Sept. 22, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

! lllllllllllllllllllllfl L a'wuwnlo'c 130m un humus THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTD-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

e. A. LITTLETON.

FRUIT GATGHER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8, 1913.

Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

2 SHEETS-$113111 2.

THE NORRJS FETERS CO4. FHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, D C.

STATES PAT NT mm.

C ARLIE A. LITTLETON, or YACOLT, wasnrneron.

"specificatien of Letters Patent.

- FRUIT-GATCHER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known-that I, CHA LIE A.

at Yacolt, in the county of Clarke and State of /Vashington, have invented new and use- The invention relates generally toa fruit catcher and particularly to a device of this class which is constructed to beconveniently portable with the parts arranged so that it maybe readily set up about the tree from which the fruit is to be taken or removed therefrom and folded into a compact form for storage.

The main object of the present invention is the provision of afruit catcher designed to be set up about the tree and to receive all of the fruit taken from the tree, the construction of the catcher being such as to prevent bruising of the fruit and to direct it to the central aperture from which it is delivered into suitable receptacles.

The invention in its preferred form of details will bedescrihed in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the catcher showing the same in operative position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 1s a top I plan view. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of form a connection between the fruit catcher,

one of the stay rods used in connection-with the invention.

Referring particularly to the accompany ing drawings. the improved fruit catcher comprises a supporting collar arranged to proper and the tree. The collar 5 is a cylindrical body of relatively stiff material, such as leather, longitudinally split to provide for it being properly positioned about the tree and provided at its base with laterally projecting annular flange 8.

The catcher proper comprises a canvas or other fabric body which will be hereinafter termed the apron andwhich is centrally sev cured to the annular flange 8 of the collar and-divided along a radial line, as at 10, preferably alined with the split division of the collar in order that the apron may be readily positioned about the tree; One of the meeting edges of theline of division of the apron is provided with a plurality of hooks 11 designed to cooperate wlth eyes secured to the opposing meeting edge whereby Lrrimn' 'roN, a citizen of the United States, residing the apron presents practically unbroken surrace concentric with the collar. To more A Patented Sept. 22*, 1914. Application filed January 8,1913. Serial No. 740,849.

effectively close the line of divison. of the apron and at the same time prevent their coming into contact wlth the hooks and eyes I provide one edge of the division with a flap 13, which when the edges are hooked together is designed to be turned over and rest above said hooks, ordinary glove button connectors 13 being provided and arranged to secure the flap in such position. The apron is provided with a plurality of radially disposed supporting cords 14: and a peripheral binding cord 15, which cords are designed to materially stiffen the apron to prevent undue sagging thereof in support ing the fruit delivered thereto. At intervals about the periphery of the apron, preferably at the terminals of the radial cords the binding cord 15 is provided with a series of rings 16 to each of which is connected adjusting ropes 17.

The apron is designed to be supported on an upwardly inclined plane from the collar, and to secure such results I provide stay rods 20 provided near the upper ends with.

a pulley 18 mounted in slots 19 and adjacent pulleys with cleats 21 the lower end of the stay rod being formed to be driven into theground. The extreme upper ends of the stay rods have connected thereto guy wires 22 the opposite end of which wires are connected to stakes adapted to be driven in the ground remote from the stay rods. By this means a frame support consisting of a .se-

ries ofv stay rods is provided beyond the free edge of the apron and by passing the rods 17 connected to the rings 16 of the apron through the slots 19 and over the pulleys 18 and connecting them to the cleats 20 the apron is supported in comparatively taut condition.

Immediately adjacent the collar 5 the apron 9 is formed with an opening 24:, and it supports a spout 25 in communication with the opening and depending below the suitable receptacle, as 26, which may be placed beneath the spout for filling.

When not in use the improved device may be readily separated from the tree andfolded into a comparatively small bundle for storage or into a more or less compact bundle for transportation to and cooperation with another tree.

What is claimed is:

' A fruit catcher comprising an upstanding collar adapted to surround the trunk of a tree and having an annular flange at the base thereof, an apronsecured' at its inner edge to said flange and having a radially ex- I tending opening, means extending 1ongitudinally of the said opening for connecting the adjacent edges of the opening together, a

flap extending longitudinally of saiolopening and adapted to cover the same, complementary means carried by the flap and apron to secure the flap in an operative position to cover the opening in the apron, said securing means being Wholly covered by the flap,

tion, and. a spout depending from said apron adjacentthe collar.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signa Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gom nissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

means connected to the outer periphery of said apron for supporting the same in posi- 

